Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged on Thursday to defend democracy in the country and around the world, in order to prevent the emergence of "authoritarian states worse than that of (Adolf) Hitler".

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said that, if the United States imposes tariffs on his country, he will respond in kind. Speaking at a news conference in the capital Brasilia, on Thursday,

"It is very simple: if he taxes Brazilian products, there will be reciprocity," Lula told a press conference in Brasilia. The United States runs a trade surplus with Brazil, which according to Brazil's government hit $253 million last year.